SRK made me and Rinku dance after every match: Shivam Mavi [Exclusive]

Indian pacer Shivam Mavi shared his thoughts on various topics during an exclusive interview with CricTracker. Reflecting on his time with the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), Mavi revealed that he was part of the franchise until 2023 before being released by the three-time IPL champions.

He mentioned that the decision was conveyed to him respectfully and also fondly recalled lighter moments with KKR co-owner Shah Rukh Khan, who often made him and teammate Rinku Singh dance after matches. Mavi featured in 32 matches for KKR across four seasons, picking up 30 wickets. His most impactful campaign came during IPL 2021 and a couple of years later got a chance to be part of the Indian setup.

Excerpts from the interview

Have you received any message from KKR after being released ahead of the IPL 2023 auction?

I had a chat with Venky Mysore sir, and he told me that, unfortunately, they weren’t going to retain me for that season. He was very supportive and helpful in that conversation. Every team has certain requirements, and perhaps I didn’t fit into theirs at that time. They conveyed this message clearly to me, and I accepted it as part of the game.

Can you share one unheard story of you with Shah Rukh Khan during your KKR days?

Whenever he (SRK) comes to watch a match, he used to make Rinku [Singh] and me dance after the match. (Laughs)

Being overdependent on Bumrah will make things difficult: Mavi

Furthermore, the Noida-born also iterated his take on workload management concern for someone like Jasprit Bumrah, who took part in only three of the five Tests against England during the recent tour. Mavi feels that a team should never be overdependent on a player, and that is what gave the opportunity for Mohammed Siraj and Prasidh Krishna to shine in Bumrah's absence.

"Physios and coaches are in the best position to assess workload management. Bumrah bhai had communicated well before the England series that he would only play three out of the five Tests. If we had been overdependent on him, it would’ve been difficult for us, since he needed to offload his workload. Thankfully, other bowlers like Siraj and Prasidh stepped up, took on the responsibility, and helped us draw the series 2-2," he said.